The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

When faced with parenting crises, special-needs challenges, fear, and exhaustion, how do you keep moving forward?
Today's guest Sarah Walton is an author, wife, and mom of four whose family has faced chronic illness, a son with severe behavioral episodes, and years of uncertainty without answers. In this conversation, Sarah talks about what it looked like to survive the hardest seasons of motherhood and how her faith carried her through.
She shares how she learned to grieve her expectations, hold hope and acceptance together, and find small joys when everything felt dark. She also offers practical words for how to support a friend who is suffering — and what not to say. Her new book is "Jesus Will Meet You There."
03:14 — Sarah shares what happened when her oldest son spiked a severe fever at 7 weeks old and what followed in the years after
06:11 — The family's Lyme disease diagnosis and how it connected the dots across years of unexplained health struggles
08:19 — How Sarah stayed spiritually afloat — opening her Bible daily, journaling, and talking to God about how awful things felt
10:37 — What to say to the parent who is disappointed and asking why they got a hard child
17:44 — Holding hope and acceptance at the same time: the balance of praying for a miracle while being at peace if it doesn't come
21:05 — How Sarah talks to her kids about suffering and why she lets them see her struggle with hard questions too
26:15 — Why God doesn't always give us the "why" — and why that's actually a gift to our faith
30:02 — Listen, learn, lean in: what to do (and not do) when a friend is going through something hard

Grab a copy of Sarah Walton's book at JesusWillMeetYouThere.com
Sarah Walton's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahpwalton/?hl=en
Substack: https://substack.com/@sarahpwalton

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)


Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Life isn't all about us. But have you tried teaching that to your kids?!
Pastor, author, and super dad Dave Stone will help you raise kids who are humble, generous, and others-focused. He's raised three kids and can walk alongside us, guiding us through stages of parenting, from discipline to friendship. He encourages parents in the hard seasons and reminds us that our family investment is never wasted.
You won't want to miss the personal stories (you might need a tissue) and the sage wisdom of this pastor to pastors. Dave is the host of the Pastor to Pastor podcast and author of How to Raise Selfless Kids in a Self-Centered World. Whether you are in formal ministry or not, Dave is a role model worth following. He believes the most practical way to spread the gospel is through moms and dads who model a genuine faith for their children. On today's episode, we'll talk about:
02:21 Why humility is such an attractive quality
05:18 The "two questions" practice: how Dave trained his kids to ask guests questions before every meal
06:27 The Bible study story: Dave leaves mid-lesson to apologize to his son Sam
11:26 Advice for pastors' families on navigating the fishbowl and helping kids find joy in ministry
15:46 Sam pledges his entire allowance to a church building campaign
19:18 God sends Sam a check for exactly $200 — the story of a 10-year-old learning you can't out-give God
20:47 Dave speaks directly to parents in the hard seasons: each stage has its fulfillment, and it is worth it
29:51 The blindfold reveal: how Sam surprised his parents by buying a house six doors down

Listen to Dave Stone's podcast: Pastor to Pastor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pastortopastorpodcast/?hl=en
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Larry McCall has been married to his high school sweetheart for more than 50 years and pastored the same church for over 40. He knows firsthand what it takes to enjoy a marriage that lasts. He's also seen the bad things that happen to marriages in the middle and later years.
In his book A Seasoned Marriage, he walks couples through the seasons that can quietly undo a marriage: empty nests, adult kids moving back home, aging parents, and the slow drift from spouse to roommate. He and Arlene talk about why putting Christ at the center of marriage matters more than ever as the years go on, and how couples can become closer friends instead of growing apart. If your kids are young, this episode is still for you — what you build now is what you'll have later.
1:28 — Why the gospel has to be at the center of marriage, not just the beginning of it
3:28 — The "happiness trap" — what couples reveal when they pursue divorce
6:39 — When your spouse's faith is weak and you're carrying the marriage alone
8:25 — The story of a woman whose non-Christian husband came to faith after decades of prayer
10:31 — The low point in Larry and Gladine's marriage, and what turned it around
16:02 — Navigating adult kids moving back home without it wedging the marriage
23:38 — The difference between a Christian grandparent and an intentional Christian grandparent

Grab a copy of Larry McCall's book: A Seasoned Marriage
Learn more about Walking with Jesus Ministries: http://www.wljministries.org/
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Guest favorite Dr. Kathy Koch joins Arlene to explain the changes that happen when your kids grow up. Dr. Kathy's book Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children walks parents through the hard work of releasing control, grieving unmet expectations, and learning to communicate in ways that actually keep the door open. They cover topics like helicoptering through the teen years, using "I statements" instead of "you statements," staying connected with kids who've walked away from faith, and how to pray through the grief of it all.
If your kids are still young, don't skip this episode. It's great to prepare you for the future by preventing common problems in the first place. In this episode, you'll learn:
3:06 Parent as a noun vs. parent as a verb — what changes when kids grow up
4:31 The long-term effects of helicoptering through the teen years
6:20 How to recognize when you're idolizing your kids
9:47 The "Isaac on the altar" release practice — surrendering your adult child to God
13:06 Staying connected with a child who has walked away from faith
15:37 "I statements" vs. "you statements" and why it matters
26:16 The monthly curiosity coffee — how to ask questions that open doors instead of closing them
Find out more about Dr. Kathy Koch's ministry and get her book Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children at https://celebratekids.com/
Connect with Dr. Kathy on Instagram and Facebook.
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There's a lot being said and shown about sex in our culture. Algorithms aren't delivering messages of sexual purity, freedom and health to teenagers. Quite the opposite. Yet purity is not an outdated idea, but it has been misunderstood.
Dannah Gresh, founder of True Girl, is back to help us communicate to our kids with truth and grace about sex. She shares her freedom story of how God redeemed her past and healed her heart. She's revised her bestselling book, And The Bride Wore White: Seven Truths to Live in Sexual Integrity No Matter What Your Past.
She walks through how the cultural conversation around sex and purity has shifted, what's at stake when moms stay silent, and how parents can talk to their kids about dating, modesty, and sexual integrity without legalism or fear. You won't want to miss this practical and biblical wisdom about a sensitive but needed topic. In today's conversation, you'll learn:
1:43 — Why Dannah refreshed The Bride Wore White now
2:40 — The "silver letter" that changed everything
5:49 — Dannah's own story: falling short at 15 and finding healing
11:23 — "Sex is not a consumer good — it's a covenant good"
21:06 — The science of "sliding vs. deciding" in relationships
27:03 — What to do when your child is dating the wrong person
29:32 — How to teach girls dignity in a way that's actually attractive

Connect and find out more about Dannah Gresh, her ministry True Girl, and new book, And The Bride Wore White at https://mytruegirl.com/.
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.